


Riddle Me This

by isntthisjustwonderful



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, Dark Diggorys, Dark Harry, F/F, F/M, Jason brings his brick with him everywhere, M/M, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Mentions of Death, This in an AU, Weasley Family Bashing (Harry Potter), also, and i mean everywhere, i mean serious canon divergence, no judging
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:34:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27578570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isntthisjustwonderful/pseuds/isntthisjustwonderful
Summary: Everyone knows the Boy Who Lived. But what if he wasn't the Golden Gryffindor hero that everyone assumed he was?
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Cedric Diggory/Harry Potter, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Piper McLean/Ginny Weasley, Tom Riddle | Voldemort & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	1. Midnight Rescue

Thunderstorms were Tom’s favourite type of weather. Specifically because they hid him and his followers so well that not even the most eagle-eyed observer could spot them in the downpour. Forked tongues of lightning streaked across the obsidian sky, thunder roaring in its wake only moments later.

Tom refocused his attention on his prize; a small, neatly kept house that was nearly identical to the others surrounding it. Nearly identical, for there was one thing about this house that made it stand out from the rest. It was not visible from the outside, such a small difference that no one had noticed that for the past five months Number 4, Privet Drive held another child, one so special and cherished that the world could not know his true name. Harrison Thomas Salazar Riddle. His son.

Watching the family of muggles through their living room window, Tom’s mouth curled into a sneer. He raised his hand and waved it across his pale face, glamouring his features into a snakelike mask. A hissed command had his servants approaching, fading into existence through the darkness. He had brought only four of his most trusted Death Eaters for this mission. He would have brought Nagini, but his familiar had unfortunately needed to go out hunting.

Bellatrix stood to his immediate right, her dark eyes locked hungrily on the muggles. She wore no mask, but a dark cloak hid most of her features from view. Behind her was Lucius, her brother-in-law standing stock still, as if in a trance. In reality, Tom knew Lucius was actually scanning the area for wards and magic signatures, placing some of his down in select locations.

Turning his head, Tom beckoned his other two followers forward. Severus stood impassively to his left, a water repelling charm defying the storm that held them in its grasp. Slightly behind him was Alexander Smith, the only one to have come dressed in the full Death Eater suit. His skull mask covered his chiseled face, but his dark eyes still swept the house perimeter carefully. He pulled his hood down a little lower over his face, bowing his head when he noticed Tom’s eyes on him.

“Severus,” Tom hissed, “you are certain that the old fool put him here?”

The dark man turned towards him. “Absolutely, My Lord. He was quite adamant that he go nowhere else. Otherwise, we might have gotten to him faster, Smith and the Diggorys both offered to take him.”

“And I thank them for that effort,” Tom assured, nodding his head towards the man in question, who merely bowed again in return. “But I believe that this is best. He would have been noticed missing if he was placed with a wizarding family. This way, we can have our fun with them.”

That prompted a mad laugh from Bellatrix, who looked positively gleeful at the prospect of having some ‘fun’ with the muggles.

Lucius broke from his vigil with a muttered curse, drawing Tom’s attention to him.

“What have you found?”

“There are no wards around the house or the surrounding area. There is a squib living two streets away on Wisteria Walk. Looks like Dumbledore got her stationed here. Our only real problem here is how we’re going to hide the fact that the family’s gone missing.”

“We will deal with the aftermath later. I want my son back tonight.” Tom snarled, eyes flashing red in his anger.

“As you wish, My Lord,” Bellatrix purred, licking the blade of her knife as she withdrew it from her pocket.

“Thank you Bella. Now, let's go.”

They split into two groups, Bellatrix and Smith creeping toward the back, Lucius and Severus accompanying Tom to the front. Reaching the front door, Tom knelt slightly, whispering softly. The door knob glowed a sickly green and they heard the lock twist open. Rising, Tom opened the door slowly, listening carefully for any squeaks or whines that would alert the family to their presence.

With the door open, the trio slid inside. Severus closed the door behind them, sliding the lock back into place. With a quick glance around the front entryway, they noted the door to the kitchen, the stairs leading to the second floor, and the small cupboard beneath the stairs.

Deciding to tackle the downstairs first, Tom headed for the kitchen door. This one opened easily, the room beyond blessedly empty. Through the window above the sink, Tom could see Smith gently prying the back door open. Bella’s dark head appeared a moment later, her eyes roving over the impeccably clean kitchen with disgust.

Smith joined her, and Tom moved ahead, making a beeline for the flickering light in the lounge. Rounding the corner, Tom’s eyes fell on a criminally overweight man in his mid twenties. He was settled in an armchair watching some muggle show. Pointing his wand at the man’s back, Tom bound and gagged him, smirking in pleasure as he let out an undignified squeak and flopped about in a pathetic attempt to rid himself of his restraints.

“Lucius, take this one back to the manor. I’ll deal with him later. Severus, go fetch the strongest truth potion you possess and join Lucius. One of you find out the name of the squib who lives near here, and grab Amos’s file on them. Smith, Bella, you come with me.”

The two men bowed respectfully to their master. Severus levitated the man out of the armchair and floated him towards the back door with Lucius in tow. Tom waited until he heard the faint pop of apparition before continuing. Backtracking into the hallway, Tom contemplated the stairs. He growled in annoyance, instead setting a silencing spell over the old wood. He halted at the top of the stairs, inching forward along the landing to allow his servants some room behind him.

All three of them froze when a thin, horse like woman shuffled out of one of the rooms, a chubby baby in her skinny arms. She entered the bedroom across the hall, crooning shrill lullabies to the child. Tom waved his companions forward, allowing them to do what they wished as he watched boredly. The woman had leaned over to place the baby in a bassinet pressed against the wall. As she straightened, Bella moved to stand directly behind the woman, fingering her dagger thoughtfully.

“Boo,” she whispered, balancing the blade along the woman’s neck. The woman let out a small scream, her face contorting in fear as Bella turned her around, none too gently. Tom strolled over, pausing a few feet away from the two.

“Where is he?” he demanded, a cold smile flickering over his face at the terror on the woman’s face as she glimpsed his glamoured features.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the woman whispered fearfully.

“Oh, I think you do. Now, I’ll ask again. Where. Is. He?”

“In the spare bedroom!” The woman cried, losing her nerve. Tom merely rolled his eyes at the tears. Smith, who up until that point had been leaning disinterestedly against the wall, crossed over to the bassinet, looking down at the child within.

“You know,” he said, “I like this one. I think I’ll keep it.”

The woman broke down, begging him not to take her baby. Smith ignored her, lifting the child into his arms. 

“Bella, take her and put her with her husband. Smith, you are dismissed for the evening. Do what you will with the child. Bring him for tomorrow's meeting.”

“Yes, My Lord,” The two chorused. Taking a firm grip on each of their charges, they disapparated, leaving Tom alone. 

He wasted no time exiting the bedroom. Poking his head into the other two rooms on his side of the hallway, he discovered the bathroom and master bedroom. Crossing to the other side of the corridor, he found that one of them was covered in locks. A harsh scowl settled itself firmly upon his features as he set about unlocking the door.

He vanished the last lock, reaching out a pale hand to open the door. At the back of his mind, he remembered he was still wearing his glamour, banishing it with a snap of his fingers. The room beyond the locked door was very plain, and he might have missed it if what he sought had it not let out a rather loud sneeze. Releasing a witch light to hover by his shoulder, Tom stalked towards the bed.

Illuminated by the witch light’s glow was the face of a pale, dark haired child, no more than a year old. Forest green eyes stared up at him curiously, a childish giggle falling past the babe’s lips. Picking up the child, Tom cradled him gently, smiling at the soft coos Harry let out.

“Let us get out of here, little one,” he told his son, wrapping his cloak around them tightly. He turned on his heel, pulling them into a tight vortex, before they popped back into existence outside of Riddle Manor. Harry seemed unaffected by the journey, still babbling happily to himself. Tom laughed quietly at his son’s antics, pulling his cloak over his head as he walked up to the front gates. They opened immediately, swinging shut once he passed them.

He shouldered the front door open, shaking his hood off. A house elf in a dark uniform bearing the Riddle crest appeared in front of him, bowing so low its nose touched the ground.

“Shirley, go inform Evelyn that I have returned. Then, bring refreshments to the main lounge and summon Amos and Anna.”

“Yes, Master,” Shirley said, bowing again. Before he left, the house elf snapped his fingers, causing Tom’s travelling cloak to float over to the coat stand. Readjusting Harry’s position, Tom strode toward the lounge. Evelyn was already there when he arrived, and as she stood to greet him, her eyes landed on the bundle in his arms, a hand flying to her mouth.

“Is that…?” She whispered, eyes locked on Harry. Tom nodded, an easy smile on his lips. Evelyn’s face glowed with happiness as she hurried over to him. He placed Harry into Evelyn’s arms, and the babe looked curiously up into the faces of his parents for the first time since he was born. Evelyn stroked her son’s face with her finger, sighing when he giggled.

Tom placed an arm around her waist, leading her over to the sofa. They sat down, their son sheltered protectively between them. They stayed there until Shirley appeared in the centre of the lounge, accompanied by the Diggorys.

Amos was one of Tom’s most valuable followers, due to his connections and information on virtually everyone in the Ministry. With the Diggorys portrayal of a seeming light family, they had managed to worm themselves close to Dumbledore, and had been providing invaluable information for the Death Eaters since day one. In Anna’s arms was the Diggory's three year old son Cedric. Evelyn has spent a lot of time with Cedric over the past five months, desperate for any sort of connection with a child.

“My Lord, my Lady,” Amos murmured, bowing his head to the couple. Anna bowed too, balancing Cedric on her hip. The three year old didn’t bother with such formalities, merely looking around curiously.

“Amos, Anna,” Tom responded cordially, rising from his seat. “I thank you for coming at such a late hour.”

“It’s quite alright, My Lord,” Amos said. “We were still awake. Ced seems to have reached the stage where everything is much more fun when it is done at midnight.”

Evelyn laughed, standing, Harry in her arms. “I hope he doesn’t cause you too much trouble. You do need to get some sleep after all.”

Anna smiled. “Thank you, dear. My Lord, if you don’t mind, may I inquire about the urgentness of this meeting?”

“You may,” Tom said, gesturing for the couple to sit. He and Evelyn moved to return to the loveseat as the Diggorys sat opposite them. “I have summoned you here on a matter of the utmost importance. Earlier tonight, I retrieved my son from that muggle family Dumbledore placed him with. Lucius and Severus are currently with them. What I need you to do is distract Dumbledore’s attention from them for as long as possible. I am aware he will find out they are missing eventually, but we can delay the inevitable.”

For a moment, the two Diggorys sat in stunned silence as they processed everything. Amos shook himself slightly, a determined look settling on his face.

“It shall be done my Lord. Oh, and Lucius told me to give you this.” Amos pulled a folder from his pocket, unshrinking it and passing over. Tom took it, flicking through the papers inside.

“Thank you, Amos,” Tom said, reading over the file. “This will be most helpful. After I interrogate the muggles, I shall send Lucius to go place the squib under the Imperius. That should help keep Dumbledore oblivious. You may return home now. There will be a meeting tomorrow, and Smith is bringing the child we found with him.”

“Yes, My Lord,” Amos said, rising with Anna at his side. The two bowed, Cedric waving gaily at the three across from him, before he and his family Disapparated away. Evelyn stood, Harry asleep in her arms.

“I’m going to go put him to bed, love,” she said, still beaming.

“Alright,” Tom said, leaning over to kiss her, then Harry. “I should be up in an hour or two.”

Evelyn smiled, making her way out of the lounge. Tom stood and stretched, heading in the opposite direction of his wife. He halted at a mostly nondescript length of wall, except for the painting of a basilisk that hung there. He hissed at it, and the wall silently folded inward like a door, revealing a torchlined staircase that led into the bowels of the manor. The door slid shut behind him as he descended, his footsteps echoing in the silent passageway.

The stairwell opened up into a wide, dimly lit hallway that was lined with holding cells. Farther ahead was a thick steel door that led into his ‘interrogation room’, which was actually closer to a torture chamber. He let himself in, a smirk overtaking his features as he saw the two muggles chained against the wall, Lucius and Severus standing against the wall sneering at them. As he approached, Tom’s smirk grew into a maniacal grin. Oh, this was going to be  _ fun _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an AU. In this AU, Evelyn is Lily's twin sister. The Evans family are actually purebloods, but they have only produced squibs up until Lily and Evelyn. Evelyn was a Slytherin, and Lily ignored her sister's existence after she took Severus's side during the whole 'mudblood' incident, because Evelyn was the only one (at that time) who knew that they were pureblood. After graduating, Evelyn joined the Death Eaters and she and Tom (Voldemort) eventually fall in love and get married. Evelyn gives birth to Harrison Thomas Salazar Riddle on July 31st, the same day Lily gives birth to Harold James Potter. Unfortunately, Harold dies during childbirth. Lily and James don't know this, but Dumbledore, who is present, does know, and he switches Harold and Harrison (cause he's a bastard). Evelyn and Tom think that Harry is dead for about a month and are heartbroken, but eventually find out Dumbledore switched the children. Tom goes to retrieve Harry on Halloween, and injures but doesn't kill Lily and James (because Evelyn asked him to spare her sister if he could). Lily activates an emergency portkey which takes the Potters and Harry away from Godric's Hollow. Dumbledore places Harry with the Dursleys while Lily and James are recovering. Severus tells Tom where Harry is, and thus, we have reached the beginning of the story. Sidenote: Peter is still a spy in the Order and Sirius is not in Azkaban.
> 
> P.S. - I changed Tom/Voldemort's age so that he's only five years older than Evelyn, Lily, James and the gang. Otherwise it would be weird and really, really gross.


	2. The Journey to Hogwarts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry journey to Hogwarts, some major plot points and some potential new allies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't posted in forever. I completely lost motivation over winter break. This chapter is longer than usual, so hope that makes up for it. Enjoy!

The first of September dawned cool and gray. Harry watched the sunrise from his bedroom window, already too excited to stay asleep. He was starting his official wizarding schooling today, and was anxious to see what Hogwarts was really like, having only heard about it from his parents, aunts and uncles, and his best friend Cedric, along with some of his older cousins.

By six o’clock, Harry gave up on trying to go back to sleep, and headed downstairs after changing. Despite the early hour, the house was bustling with activity. House elves dressed in robes with the Riddle family crest scurried about, cleaning, ordering, organising and conversing in their high pitched voices. A few of Harry’s father’s followers were present too, and they bowed to the young heir as he darted through the halls. Harry slid down the stairs on the banister, jumping off with a flourish.

Knowing it was still too early for breakfast just yet, Harry headed for his father’s study. Knocking twice, Harry opened the door, sliding inside. His father, Tom Marvolo Riddle, looked up as he entered, a smile crossing his pale features. Wrapped around his chair was Nagini, the enormous serpent draped lazily across his father’s shoulders.

“You are certainly up early, little snake,” Tom said, smirking as Harry plopped down on the chair opposite his father.

“I can’t help it,” Harry said, “I’m too excited!”

He then proved his point by abruptly switching into Parseltongue, laughing and talking to himself. Tom just smiled, waving his hand in a circle. A black mamba snake appeared, and Harry picked it up, hissing happily to it. Tom shook his head ruefully; Harry loved talking to snakes, and would often conjure one to talk to if he was bored. The duo were interrupted by an elf popping into the room.

“Breakfast is ready, Master,” the elf said, bowing.

“Thank you, Mimsy,” Tom said, rising. “You may go.”

The elf disappeared and Tom turned to his hyper son.

_ “Harry,” _ he hissed, catching his son’s attention,  _ “It is time for breakfast.” _

_ “Okay, Papa,” _ Harry replied, vanishing the mamba. He stood, following his father from the room and down the hall. The sound of cutlery and soft chatter reached Harry’s ears as he and his father reached the dining room. He smiled as he saw his mother and his five siblings all seated at the table. A few of the elves were assisting Evelyn in dealing with all of the children, most of which were under the age of six. Evelyn raised her head as they entered, smiling at her husband and eldest child, rising to greet them.

“Good morning, darling,” Evelyn said, kissing her son’s cheek.

“Morning, Mama,” Harry said, giving his mother a quick hug. She ruffled his hair, shooing him toward his seat. She kissed her husband, ignoring the noises of disgust from her children. Evelyn resumed her seat at the table, Tom moving to sit between Ambrose and Caspian.

As they ate, conversation turned to Harry’s upcoming journey to Hogwarts. Astrid, on Harry’s right, clung to her eldest brother tightly.

“Don’t worry Astrid,” Harry reassured her, “I’ll write to you all the time.”

“Speaking of Hogwarts, you do remember the plan, don’t you son?” Tom asked, looking over from where he was trying to make Ambrose eat a pear.

“Yes, Papa,” Harry said. They had gone over the plan dozens of times over the past few days. Harry would be going to Hogwarts under a fake name. He and his biological cousin Arik would be going to school together, masquerading as Zacharias Smith’s cousins from Italy. They both spoke fluent Italian, so it helped with their cover story. For a while though, Arik was thought to not have magic. His mother had been a squib, albeit unknowingly, and his father a muggle. While he was a halfblood, he lived with the Smiths as almost a second son.

“Papa,” Harry said, “what am I to do if Harold shows up?”

Harold was Harry’s cousin, second born of his aunt Lily and her husband James. Harold was not actually the first of his name. Harold the first had been born the same day as Harry, but had died during childbirth. Dumbledore had then switched the two babies, trying to keep Harry away from his family, out of fear of what it would mean for him. Harold II had been born nearly a year after Harry was rescued from his squib aunt’s house. Dumbledore had somehow convinced the Potters that Voldemort had killed ‘their’ son, and encouraged them to have another to fill the void. Ever since he was born, Dumbledore had been filling Harold’s head with lies, telling him about how ‘special’ he was, and how he was someday going to take down an evil wizard and become a hero. Somehow, Harold had been aged up to be the same age as his deceased older brother, so there was a real chance that he’d show up at Hogwarts. 

Harry’s father sighed. “I do not know snakelet, but we shall deal with it when it happens. Owl me if he does show, and I shall conference with Severus to see what can be done.”

For the next few hours, the conversation was steered into lighter territory, Harry helping his parents entertain his siblings. At ten o’clock, a house elf entered the room, carrying a large feather duster.

“Master Riddle, sir Amos is here with young Cedric,” the elf said.

“Thank you, Rosemary, you may go,” Tom said. “Come on snakelet, it’s time.”

Harry stood, hugged his mother and siblings goodbye, then followed his father toward the entrance hall. Amos and Cedric stood talking quietly off to the side. Cedric was starting his third year at Hogwarts, and would be helping Harry, Arik and Zacharias learn the ropes. The two turned as Harry and Tom approached.

“My Lord, Harry,” Amos said, bowing his head. Cedric bowed too, following his father’s lead.

“Amos, Cedric, good to see you well,” Tom said. “How is Anna?”

“Good, good,” Amos said. “Are you all set?”

“We are,” Tom smirked. “This one was bouncing off the walls at the crack of dawn”

Harry ignored his father. Another elf appeared by his elbow, his trunk with it.

“Thank you, Mimsy,” Harry said, shrinking his trunk down. He slid it into his pocket, turning back to his father, who was watching him.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just wondering where that familiar of yours is,” Tom teased.

Harry huffed, pulling his shirt collar down enough to reveal a reptilian head. Balthazar, a black and silver Inland Taipan, raised his head from Harry’s neck long enough to flicker his tongue out, before laying back down.

“Well, you two boys ready to go?” Amos asked. “The train leaves in forty five minutes, and we want to get you good seats. Alexander will be dropping Arik and Zacharias off soon as well, so you can all sit together.”

Without further ado, Cedric and Harry shuffled over to Amos. They each gripped his forearm, waiting for the pull of Disapperation. Harry saw his father wave as they disappeared. Harry braced himself as they reappeared at Platform Nine and ¾. While he was used to the sensations brought on by Apparition, that didn’t mean that he had to like them. Once he had caught his balance, Harry looked up to observe the platform.

He had been there before, to see Cedric off for the past two years, and nothing had really changed. Despite the train not leaving for another hour, it was packed with students of all ages rushing around. Owls hooted at each other over the din, and cats curled around legs, tripping students as they rushed to and fro. Toads were present too, their deep croaks echoing around sporadically. Harry didn’t pay much mind to the crowd, rather searching for his cousins and uncle. He was not disappointed when Cedric tapped on his shoulder, pointing toward a calmer section of the platform, where many of the more dignified pure bloods were standing.

Amos led the boys through the throng of people, artfully weaving in and out like a muggle ninja. Standing twenty feet from the train was Alexander Smith and his rather large family. Alexander had a habit of ‘adopting’ children, whether they were orphans or not. As long as they had magic, anything else was pretty much game. Harry was positive only one of the nine children in his household were actually biologically his. The one in question, Zacharias, was chatting amicably with his adopted siblings. Harry’s cousin Arik was talking to Leslie and Roger a few feet away. Harry and his cousin looked nothing alike. While Harry was on the slighter side, with dark hair and bright eyes, Arik had spiky blond hair and pale blue eyes that sparked like chips of ice. He had a boxer’s build, with plenty of muscle and weight to back him up in a fight.

Diana, who was starting her sixth year, noticed the approaching group first. She nudged her father, catching his attention, nodding toward them. The other Smiths paused their conversations to greet Harry and the Diggorys. Alexander, the Smith patriarch, leaned in as he clasped Amos’ hand, murmuring something softly in his ear. Straightening, he addressed his children.

“Alright everyone, listen up! Now that Amos and the boys have arrived, you can all board the train now. Owl me or your mother if anything comes up, or talk to Professor Snape. Landon, please hold in your urges to pummel the weasels; Carter, don’t make the first years cry when they ask a million questions in the first month of school; Danielle, refrain from putting too many students in the infirmary during Quidditch practice and Leslie, please do not put pink hair dye in the shower heads again. Now, go grab yourselves some seats!”

The younger Smiths hugged their father, the elders nodded respectfully as they gathered their belongings. The only Smith not going to Hogwarts this year was Solomon, who had graduated the previous year and was currently working to be accepted in the Department of Mysteries as an Unspeakable. Cedric, Harry, Zach, Arik and Diana grouped together as they headed for the train.

“Come with me,” Diana instructed the boys, waving them forward. “I can get you guys an in with some of the other Slytherins who support your father, Harry. They might be a little put off by you Cedric, but those with parents in the inner circles should recognise you.”

“Alright. Let’s go,” Harry said. Diana turned and started off down the hallway, leading them down three different train cars, before stopping at one. When she opened the door, the boys could already see the difference in this car. It was completely dominated by purebloods, most of which were Slytherins. Eyes turned to them instantly and tracked them as Diana led them to a small hive of upper year Slytherins. Upon closer inspection, some younger pureblooded scions were tucked into the circle, obviously trying to integrate themselves into the Slytherin social ladder. 

One of the older Slytherin boys seemed to be the ringleader of this particular circle. He had dirty blond hair that fell to his shoulders in waves. He had steel blueish-grey eyes that had tracked them all the way across the car. He wore loose black robes that gave him a relaxed look, but Harry wasn’t stupid enough to think that would hinder him in any sort of battle. As Diana halted before him, he spoke.

“Smith. Good to see you well. Might I inquire the identities of your companions?”

It was short, formal and straight to the point, pureblood to the very core. Diana tilted her head as she considered her response.

“You may, Allen. You might recognise my younger brother, Zacharias. This is Harrison and Arik Enigma. They are my cousins. They have been sent here for their education, and will be staying here in England for the next seven years until they complete their schooling.”

Allen seemed to accept that as a valid response, before turning his eyes on Cedric. “And who might you be?”

Cedric wore a mask of stone. “Cedric Diggory, at your service. I am a close friend of the Smith family.”

Allen looked no less sceptical of Cedric, but waved a hand at the open seats remaining. Diana, Zach, Harry and Arik sat down in the four open seats. Cedric stood silently behind Zach and Harry, very much the immoveable stone bodyguard. Harry’s eyes roved over the gathered students. Most of them were Slytherin students, the majority looking to be fifth year or older. There were six first years grouped in the cluster, a few of which Harry recognised. 

The most recognisable was Draco Malfoy. Harry had met him a few times at his father’s meetings, not that the other boy knew that. His platinum blond locks were slicked back with enough gel to form a solid cinder block. Behind him were Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe, hovering like brutish bodyguards. Attached to Draco’s arm was Pansy Parkinson, who was obviously trying to mooch her way into the Malfoy spotlight. Harry wouldn’t be surprised if the girl’s mother had told her to try and present herself as a perfect little wife to the Malfoys. There was another girl sitting much more in a much more dignified style on Draco’s other side. Daphne Greengrass had a sort of beauty that was both beautiful and tragic, even for an eleven year old. She was rather pale, and had deep sapphire eyes. Her ebony hair was twisted into an elegant french braid, and she sat with a very stiff, proper posture. The last first year was the one Harry was the closest to. Blaise Zabini was a tall, dark skinned boy with a shaved head. His mother was the famous ‘Black Widow’, who was a very beautiful woman always seeming to be inheriting massive amounts of money from her strangely deceased spouses. Blaise had inherited his mother’s sharp, dark features, and it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to describe him as pretty, though he preferred masculine terms. Being Italian by birth, and living in Italy, Blaise and his mother had helped the Riddles perfect their scheme.

As they made eye contact, Blaise gave Harry a subtle nod, before switching his attention to Draco, who was droning on about something his father had done. Harry tuned the boy out, instead focusing on Allen, who was conversing in a hushed tone with the older students. Diana opened her mouth to say something, getting as far as ‘Wesley’, which caught Allen’s attention, when the car door slid open and more students spilled in. All conversations immediately died as the intruders were identified.

The boy in the lead was clearly a Weasley, his orange-red rust hair and ratty, too-short robes giving him away. The weasel was followed by a shorter, Hispanic boy. Harry vaguely recognised him as the Longbottom heir. Trailing after them was an African looking girl. She had clouds of bushy hair and an air about her that seemed bossy and pushy even without her saying anything. The weasel had an ugly look on his face as he noted the abundance of green robes in the car. Longbottom piped up first, clearly not caring that most of the students were sending him death glares.

“Is there any room in here? Everywhere else’s full.”

Wesley stood, his dark robes swirling around him. His steel eyes bored holes in the threesome, and he slid a hand into his pocket, no doubt where his wand was resting.

“Looks like you’ll have to look harder, because this car is taken,” He said. The red head didn’t seem to get the dismissal, even as Longbottom turned and left. The boy looked exasperated at his two companions, and Harry overheard him mutter “Good luck” to the girl on his way out.

“But there’s plenty of room in here! Why can’t you just move over and make some space?” The girl badgered, shoving past the weasel, which made him glare at her.

Wesley’s face hardened, half drawing his wand from his pocket as more students pulled out theirs. “I don’t think you understood me the first time when I said it nicely, so I’ll tell you in a simpler way you’re sure to understand. Get. Out.  _ Now _ .”

“Fine,” The boy sneered. “I don’t want to have to share with you slimy scum anyways. Let’s get outta here, Granger.”

The girl, Granger, huffed in annoyance as the weasel practically shoved her out of the compartment. One of the girls closer to the door stood and stalked forward, slamming the door closed hard enough the glass rattled. Wesley eased back into his seat, loosening his grip on his wand.

“I hate Weasleys,” He muttered, rubbing his temples. “Rude,  belligerent, not a single intelligent thought in their heads. A waste of magic if you ask me.”

“More like a waste of air, space and food, if you ask me,” Cedric muttered. When he got strange looks from the others he rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on. They’ve got more children than they can afford, live in a literal pigsty and the father works in a broom cupboard. How they’re still a part of the Sacred 28 is beyond me.”

One of the girls next to Wesley leaned forward. “He’s got a point.”

Arik started spinning his wand in his hand like a baton. “You’d think after the first slip up they’d learn.”

Zach laughed softly. “At least the elder ones are doing something with their lives. That idiot will probably claim to be an Auror to every girl he meets while living at home his entire life until he drinks away all his nonexistent money and rots to death.”

Harry raised an eyebrow at him. “That’s a creative death. I pictured something more like someone getting sick of him and murdering him in his sleep.”

Zach grinned at him. “Oh? Getting ideas already?”

A smirk flickered across Harry’s face. “Perhaps . . . but no. I fear I have inherited my father’s love of grandeur, so anything that happens will be a much more public affair, not that anyone would make a connection.”

“Personally, I’d like to see the Weasley’s shown up in public,” Wesley commented, “so if anyone asks, it wasn’t us.”

Conversation branched off into other topics from there. Harry kept a close eye on the other first years and a few of the older students who he thought could make good additions to his father’s Death Eaters. He got to know some of the older students, thanks to Diana. There were five students in Diana’s year that made up the older half of the circle. Wesley Allen seemed to be the ringleader. He was a Slytherin, and Harry learned that he was a chaser on the Quidditch team. The other sixth years were Keira Gilder, who Wesley was apparently courting, Darius Flex, Sandra Sanders and Mitchell Floren.

As the sun started sinking below the horizon, the train car split in half. The girls and boys separated, a curtain being conjured to form a barrier between them. Everyone changed into their Hogwarts robes and the curtain dropped. Seats were resumed and conversations picked up again. Harry had picked up Arik’s habit of playing with his wand, spinning the wood around his fingers. He’d gotten it from a French wandmaker, Jorge Dupont. He created wands personally tailored to his clients, making each one from scratch. Harry’s wand had a griffon feather imbued with phoenix tears for the core, was made of a mixture of alder and ebony wood and had a length of fourteen inches.

Harry distantly listened in to the conversations around him as he watched the world spin past through the window. When it grew too dark to see, he turned, talking quietly with Arik and Cedric. The train eventually pulled to a stop in Hogsmeade Station. The students gathered up their things, exiting the compartment in their separate factions. Harry, Cedric, Arik and Zach bid Diana goodbye, exiting out onto the platform. They stood together under one of the lights until the sound of Hagrid’s summons echoed through the droves.

“Firs’ years! All firs’ years, follow me!”

Harry turned to his companions. “It’s time. Let’s get this show on the road.”

Zach nodded determinedly. Cedric put a hand on Harry’s shoulder, drawing his attention.

“I have to go catch the carriages. I’ll see you after the sorting.”

“Ok,” Harry breathed, staring at the top spires of the castle, barely visible over the trees. “See you.”

Cedric disappeared into the crowd. The trio exchanged glances, before they headed toward Hagrid, who was busy counting the first years.

“Is this everyone? I think I’m missin’ a few. . . Oh, there yeh are!”

Some of the students gave them curious looks as they approached, but their attention was quickly diverted as Hagrid beckoned for them to follow. The path they were taking was extremely dark and uneven, and Harry heard multiple people stumble and curse on the rocky terrain. His familiar bond with Balthazar helped him see better in the dim lighting, the snake in question still wrapped around him underneath his robe. At last, the titled slope evened out as they came upon the Black Lake. Many of the students were gasping at the grandeur of the castle, but Harry and his two companions were unimpressed. Harry personally much preferred the lovely chateau of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in France.

“No more ‘en four to a boat!” Hagrid instructed. Harry, Arik and Zach claimed a boat, being joined by Blaise, who had ditched Draco and his two bodyguards. Halfway across the lake, the pleasant silence was broken by a scream from one of the students. More students screamed in turn as long, flexible tentacles rose from the water. While Hagrid tried to soothe the panicked students, Harry’s boat snickered at their reactions to the Giant Squid. Blaise fished around in his robes, before tossing a piece of bread onto the surface. The bread bobbed up and down for a few minutes, before a tentacle scooped it under. Another tentacle waved at them, then the Giant Squid vanished into the depths of the lake.

“Mind yer heads, now!” Hagrid called as they came upon the cliff face. The students all ducked down to avoid the low ceiling, long creepers and vines hanging from the roof to tickle the backs of their necks. The boats came to a stop at a small dock. Hagrid clambered out, checking the boats as the children got out. He paused when he found a toad in one of them, but it was quickly remedied when Longbottom claimed it.

Hagrid led them into the castle, the small underground passageway leading up to the front doors. Hagrid knocked thrice, the booms from his fists echoing in the relative silence of the grounds. The doors swung open to reveal a stern looking woman in a green robe.

“The firs’ years, Professor McGonagall,'' Hagrid said. McGonagall nodded, eyes sweeping over them.

“Very good,” She said. “First years, please follow me.”

McGonagall led them into a small side room just off the Great Hall. Harry could hear the chatter of students as they waited for the Sorting to start. 

“You will stay here until we are ready for you,” McGonagall said, turning and leaving the room. Harry scrutinized the other first years in the room. He ignored the ones he’d seen on the train, already knowing who they were. Specifically, he was looking to see if he could see anyone that might be his cousin. He ruled out all the blondes and females immediately, knowing Harold was neither. There weren’t many black haired or red headed boys in the room. The only male redhead was Weasley. There was a darker skinned boy that might be a possibility, considering his uncle did have a darker skin tone. There was a pale black haired boy standing timidly next to the Granger girl, who was yammering on about something. There was another dark haired boy standing near the door, but Harry overheard one of the girls call him Justin. Just when he was thinking that maybe Harold wasn’t there after all, Weasley moved and Harry saw him.

Harold was of an average height for an eleven year old. He was pale like his mother and had her green eyes. He had a pair of circular black glasses, a nod to his father’s poor eyesight. From across the room, Harry could already hear him boasting and bragging about how he was going to “defeat the darkest wizard of all time”. 

_ Honestly, _ Harry thought,  _ this kid is so childish.  _ Harry leaned over to tap on Arik’s shoulder.

“Look what we have here,” He murmured. “Would you care to meet our dear cousin?”

Arik’s head snapped toward him so fast that he cracked his neck. “He’s here!?” Arik hissed. “Where?”

“Over there, by Weasley,” Harry directed, picking their cousin out of the crowd. Arik glared at him venomously. Zach suddenly appeared besides them.

“That cousin of yours is a real cocky bastard,” Zach growled. “See that short blonde girl next to him? He keeps yapping about how great he is, then puts her down for asking a perfectly valid question. I can not  _ wait _ to whip him in class and bring his overinflated head down a few notches.”

“You’re not the only one, mate,” Harry scowled. Further discussion of Harold was cut short as McGonagall reappeared in the doorway.

“Come,” She said. “We are ready for you now.”

The students filed into two lines under McGonagall’s instruction. When she was satisfied, she turned, leading them out of the room and into the Great Hall. Admittedly, the hall was decked out rather grandly, and the enchanted ceiling was a nice touch. The students watched them as they stopped in front of the High Table. Most of the first years were staring curiously at the three legged stool and raggedy hat that sat in front of them. When the brim opened and began to sing, Harry, Arik and Zacharias were the only first years who didn’t jump in surprise.

**_“Oh, you may not think I’m pretty_ **

**_But don’t judge on what you see,_ **

**_I’ll eat myself if you can find_ **

**_A smarter hat than me._ **

**_You can keep your bowlers black,_ **

**_Your top hats sleek and tall,_ **

**_For I’m the Hogwart Sorting Hat_ **

**_And I can cap them all._ **

**_There’s nothing hidden in your head_ **

**_The Sorting Hat can’t see,_ **

**_So try me on and I will tell you_ **

**_Where you ought to be._ **

**_You might belong in Gryffindor,_ **

**_Where dwell the brave at heart,_ **

**_Their daring, nerve and chivalry_ **

**_Set Gryffindors apart;_ **

**_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_ **

**_Where they are just and loyal,_ **

**_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_ **

**_And unafraid of toil;_ **

**_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_ **

**_If you’ve a ready mind,_ **

**_Where those of wit and learning_ **

**_Will always find their kind;_ **

**_Or perhaps in Slytherin_ **

**_You’ll make your real friends,_ **

**_Those cunning folk use any means_ **

**_To achieve their ends_ **

**_So put me on! Don’t be afraid!_ **

**_And don’t get in a flap!_ **

**_You’re in safe hands (though I have none)_ **

**_For I’m a Thinking Cap!_ **

Applause rippled throughout the hall as the hat finished singing. McGonagall stepped up to the stool holding a piece of parchment.

“When I call your name, come forward and sit on the stool. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be Sorted into your Houses. Abbott, Hannah!”

The blonde girl that Harold had been bullying earlier scuttled up to the stool, and the Sorting was on.


	3. The Bane of All Riddles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sorting results, a few new allies and the first lesson of the year (oh, look! a trip to the Hospital Wing already!).

The Sorting Hat was silent for a count of ten before  **_“Hufflepuff!”_ ** echoed through the hall to cheers from the yellow and black clad section of students. Susan Bones was called next and she joined Hannah at the Hufflepuff table. Next was Terry Boot, followed by Mandy Brocklehurst, Lavender Brown, Millicent Bulstrode, Annabeth Chase, Michael Corner, Crabbe, Tracey Davis and Nico di Angelo. Finally, McGonagall reached the E’s.

“Enigma, Arik!”

Arik shouldered his way through the remaining first years, walking and sitting with a confidence that the majority of the other first years lacked. The Sorting Hat had barely grazed the top of his spiked hair when it screamed  **_“Slytherin!”_ ** . The house of snakes broke out into applause, and Arik looked immensely pleased as he casually strolled toward the table. McGonagall consulted her scroll again.

“Enigma, Harrison!”

Harry sauntered forward, sliding through the thin gap between the other first years left behind from his cousin. He shared much of the casual confidence that Arik possessed, sitting on the stool as if it were a throne, looking almost bored. McGonagall lowered the Sorting Hart, and just as with Arik, it had barely brushed his head when it was roaring  **_“Slytherin!”_ ** to the crowd. The Slytherin table broke into applause again as he slid off the stool and meandered toward the table, dropping into the seat next to Arik. He glanced up at the High Table to see both Severus and Dumbledore watching him. He nodded subtly to Sev, resisting the urge to openly glare at the Headmaster. His gaze didn’t linger long, instead reverting back to watch the rest of the Sorting.

The list went on, the Hat sorting Justin Finch-Fletchley, Seamus Finnegan, Gregory Goyle, Jason Grace, Hermione Granger, Daphne Greengrass, Percy Jackson, Megan Jones, Neville Longbottom, Morag MacDougall, Ernie Macmillian, Draco Malfoy, Piper McLean, Lily Moon, Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, Padma Patil, Parvati Patil and Sally-Anne Perks before it got to the student Harry had been waiting for all night. McGonagall held up her list again, her next words causing a deafening silence to permeate the room.

“Potter, Harold!”

Harry, along with most of the Slytherin table glared daggers as Harold strutted forward, pushing through the other students. McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head, the brim falling to cover his eyes. It was dead quiet, and Harry could hear Arik grinding his teeth beside him. There was a dark haired boy sitting across from them who looked ready to murder Harold with his gaze alone. The hat looked to be in deep concentration, frowning slightly. One minute stretched into two stretched into three. Just as Harry mentally hit the four minute mark, the Sorting Hat’s brim ripped open, his final proclamation spilling into the room.

**_“HUFFLEPUFF!”_ **

You could have heard a piece of paper drop in the dead silence that followed the Sorting Hat’s verdict. Harold was frozen, a look of shock, incomprehension and disbelief on his face. Harry glanced up at the staff table to see Dumbledore gaping at Harold like an idiot. Severus had an incredulous look of disbelief on his face. Beside Harry, Arik’s was opening and closing soundlessly as he tried to wrap his mind around what had just occurred.

Harry locked eyes with the dark haired boy across him. As they stared at each other in slight states of shock, the boy’s shoulders started shaking. His amusement was infectious, Harry clamping a hand over his mouth to keep himself from bursting into laughter. Arik caught on soon enough, coughing as quietly as possible into his fist. The uncontrollable desire to laugh raced like wildfire down the Slytherin table, until they were all trying to restrain their mad desire to collapse into howls. Then, one of the students cracked and a cacophony of laughter rose into the air from the green robed students.

It spread from the Slytherins into the Hufflepuffs, and Harry caught Severus snickering under his breath. Harold flushed bright red as three fourths of the room descended into madness, the Ravenclaws finally losing their composure. The best part was, no one was even mocking the Hufflepuffs. They were just amused to see Harold knocked down a few pegs, most of them having heard him boast about himself on the train. The Gryffindors were silent, gawking at Harold as if he were some alien creature. Eventually, Dumbledore collected himself enough to function. He fired off a few firecrackers, which caught their attention through the gales of laughter.

“Silence!” He commanded. “Mr. Potter, please join your Housemates and let us continue with the Sorting.” He desperately looked as if he wanted to say something else, but even an idiot knew that the Sorting Hat’s decision was binding and final. Harold shuffled over to the Hufflepuff table, staring at the floor, face still red with embarrassment. The Sorting wrapped up quickly after that, Sorting Zach into Hufflepuff, then Dean Thomas, Lisa Turpin, Leo Valdez, Ronald Weasley and Blaise Zabini in under twenty minutes. Dumbledore stood and gave a small speech, before sitting back down. As he did so, food started appearing on the tables, much to the relief of the students.

Conversation filled the room as the students dug into the feast. Harry served himself, glancing around at his fellow classmates. Apart from the dark haired boy opposite him and Arik, there were eight other new Slytherin students. There was, of course, Draco and his two bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle. Pansy and Daphne were both Slytherins, as was Blaise. There were two other girls, and Harry vaguely recognised one of them as the Bulstrode heir. He didn’t know the other one. The boy across from him held his hand across the table in introduction.

“I’m Theodore Nott,” He said, shaking Harry’s hand.

“Harrison Enigma,” Harry introduced. “This is my cousin Arik.”

“Nice to meet you,” Theo said formally, shaking Arik’s hand. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around these parts; are you two from around here?”

“Not really, no,” Harry answered. “Our ancestors were Irish, but we reside in Italy for most of the year.”

Arik and Harry chatted amicably with Theodore for most of dinner. Blaise joined the conversation at some point, just long enough to catch up on his two friends. The quartet snickered a bit over Harold. The Hufflepuff was sulking in his seat, snapping at anyone who tried to talk to him. The desserts eventually disappeared, and Dumbledore stood to make announcements. Harry half listened, observing the High Table. His eyes fell on a thin man wearing a large purple turban. The man, Quirinus Quirrell, was one of his father’s pawns, placed inside Hogwarts to gain more information. Harry’s attention was torn from Quirrell as Dumbledore finished his speech.

The students rose in a great clamoring of benches scraping across stone and loud conversations. Prefects called for first years to follow them as the older years went ahead. The prefect leading the Slytherin first years was a fifth year girl by the name of Idelsa Fireclaw. She led the eleven first years from the Great Hall. The group followed Idelsa down a marble staircase in the Entrance Hall. On the other side of the Hall, the Hufflepuffs were heading down another marble staircase, both sets of stairs flanking the massive marble stairs that led to the upper floors. The Ravenclaws and Gryffindors were already heading up.

Idelsa led them into the dungeons under the school.

“You will need to memorise the path to the common room,” Idelsa warned. “The dungeons are massive, and getting lost is easy. If you do get lost, stay put. It will be easier for Professor Snape to find you if you are not wandering around in circles.”

The first years were led through a maze of corridors, and Harry mentally made road marks to keep his orientation. Around his neck, Balthazar scented the air, no doubt reorienting himself as well. Idelsa stopped in front of what appeared to be a dead end.

“Salazar,” She said. The wall rumbled and shook, sliding aside to reveal the common room behind. The first years filed in, looking around. The other students had already disappeared into the dorms, but there were a few ghosts floating around, including the Bloody Baron, Slytherin’s House Ghost. One of the walls was a giant glass window, looking out into the depths of the Black Lake. It was hard to see out in the darkness, but quick flashes of blues and silvers revealed a small school of fish flitting by.

“First year dormitories are at the top of the first staircase. Boys are on the left, girls are on the right,” Idelsa instructed. “Lights out officially starts at ten o’clock sharp, so stay on top of your school work during the day. Professor Snape will explain more in the morning, but here are the base rules. One, in this House we value cunning and ambition. Cruelty and unnecessary force is frowned upon. Number two, if you have a problem with a Housemate, you work it out behind closed doors. Always present a unified front in public spaces. Finally, please refrain from starting fights you can not finish. That’s everything you need to know for now, I’ll see you all in the morning. Goodnight.”

The group murmured their goodnights as they headed for the dorms. The girls split off as the boys entered their dorms. There was a short hallway with several doors, each door marked with a plaque. Each plaque had names inscribed on it, marking whose room it was. Crabbe and Goyle shared one room, Blaise and Arik the second, and Harry, Draco and Theo had the third. Their trunks were already at the ends of their beds. Draco had the middle bed, Theo had the one closest to the door and Harry’s was pressed against the far wall. There was a small alcove near the end of his bed, slightly set into the wall, perfect for housing a small desk.

The boys changed in silence, Theo disappearing behind his curtains almost immediately. Harry sat on his own bed with the curtains drawn, hissing quietly to Balthazar. The Inland Taipan was over six feet long, and nearly impossible to hide under most clothes, so Balthazar had spent most of the day as a massive tattoo that wrapped around Harry’s body. The only obvious part that could maybe be noticeable was Balthazar’s head and upper neck, which rested around Harry’s collarbones. The snake hissed softly, merging back into his master’s body. Harry wrote out a short letter to his father, including the results of the Sorting and the issue of Harold. He tucked the letter into his outer robe, making a mental note to send it off in the morning. Harry double checked that his curtains were shut tight before he laid down and was enveloped by the gentle embrace of sleep.

  
  


Harry was awoken the next morning by Balthazar hastily smacking him in the face with his tail. As soon as he was conscious, Harry’s ears were assaulted by an awful, wailing shriek that echoed through the dorms. He wondered how he managed to sleep through it. The screech eventually died down as Harry, Theo and Draco got dressed. They headed for the common room together, bumping into Arik and Blaise in the hallway. When they reached the common room, they found the other students lined up by year. The boys took their places, the girls having already arrived.

Severus stood at the front of the room, watching the students line up impassively. When everyone arrived, he began to take roll call. Once everyone was accounted for, he handed out their schedules.

“First years stay behind for a moment,” Severus commanded. The others students filed out to head to breakfast, leaving the youngest students behind. Severus observed them for a moment, tracing the outline of his lips with a finger. “As you were informed of the rules last night by Miss Fireclaw, I will merely inform you of my expectations for you. You are here to learn, not fight with foolish, arrogant Gryffindors or stubborn, aggravating Ravenclaws. Snakes are most productive in the shadows, and drawing unnecessary attention to you may prove more as a hindrance than a help. Again, ambition is key in this House. If you use violence to achieve your ends, be prepared for your adversaries to retaliate in kind. Now, come forward, take your schedules and get to breakfast.”

The girls went first, then Draco and his goons. Theodore shuffled off after them, still looking half asleep. When just Blaise, Arik and Harry were left, some of the tension drained from Severus’s shoulders.

“None of you had any trouble, correct?” He asked, dark eyes unreadable.

“No trouble,” Harry reassured him. “Weasley, Longbottom and that Granger girl came into our car at one point, looking for seats. Wesley Allen got rid of them in under two minutes.”

Severus rubbed his chin in thought. “You might wish to speak to your father about that one. Allen is very into the Dark Arts, and his girlfriend and some of his allies are very potent fighters.”

“I’ll talk to Papa about it,” Harry promised. “On that note, can you owl this to him for me? I have a feeling I won’t have much time to head to the Owlery for the next few days.” He pulled out his letter, passing it to Severus.

“Alright. Take your schedules and get to breakfast.”

The boys acquiesced, slipping past their Head of House. Blaise led them through the dungeons, having been the one to memorise the path on the way down the night before. They emerged within a few minutes, joining the stream of students flowing into the Great Hall. Blaise broke off to eavesdrop on Draco. Harry and Arik moved to sit with Landon and Diana, who were seated with Wesley, Keira and Mitchell. Landon slid over slightly to allow them to sit beside him, eyes half-glazed with annoyance and exhaustion.

“What do you nerds got first?” Landon quiered bluntly, stabbing a sausage with his fork and glaring at it with such intensity Harry half expected it to burst into flame.

“Good morning to you too,” Arik said sarcastically, stealing a waffle off of Harry’s plate. Harry huffed at him, replacing the stolen waffle, nearly dropping it as he pulled out his schedule.

“We’ve got Charms with the Puffs first,” Harry answered, eyes raking over the parchment. “Then Transfiguration and Potions with the Gryffindors.”

Arik groaned. “I do  _ not _ want to deal with those suck ups this early in the morning,” He grumbled. “What do we got after lunch?”

“Double History with the Puffs and Herbology with Ravenclaw.”

Arik cracked his neck, nearly knocking Harry in the back of his head as he stretched. “Afternoon’s not so bad,” He decided. “Morning still sucks though.”

“Just wait until Thursday,” Harry commented dryly, swallowing his waffle. “Afternoon is Double Transfiguration and Potions with the lions.”

There was a dull  _ thud _ as Arik lightly smacked his head against the table a few times. “Just. Why. Why do we have to have so many classes with them? Hasn’t Dumbledore ever learned that putting Snakes and Lions never works? Especially in Potions. Dear Merlin.”

“We’ve been asking ourselves that for the past five years,” Wesley quipped, rolling his eyes. “In our first year, we had Potions right before lunch, and we shared the period with Gryffindor. Half the class ended up in the Infirmary once because one of the Lion’s cauldrons blew up.”

Keira’s nose wrinkled. “That sludge was disgusting.  _ And _ it burned like nobody’s business.”

Mitchell leaned over to peer at Harry and Arik. “You two should be fine, in my opinion. You look like you could hold your own.”

Arik smirked slightly. “Thanks.”

A loud groan rose from the other side of the room. Harry turned toward the Gryffindor table, which was the source of the noise. McGonagall was handing out schedules, and had just given a slip of parchment to Weasley. He was glaring at it, then raised his head and glared at the Slytherin table. He caught Harry’s eye, Harry giving him a death stare in response. The weasel held his nerve for all of two seconds before lowering his head over his plate again. Harry rolled his eyes. 

_ House of the Brave, huh?  _ He thought derisively.  _ That’s rich _ .

Harry was broken from his thoughts by Arik tapping his shoulder. “Come on, we’ve got to get to Charms.”

“Alright,” Harry said, swinging his legs over the bench. Students were streaming from the Great Hall, making it rather hard to see, but Harry and Arik managed to weave their way through the sea of kids, ducking into a sheltered alcove. Harry twisted his bag around and pulled out a small glass mirror. It was a seeing device, with even more knowledge of the castle than was on the Marauders Map, and had been created with the help of Peter Pettigrew. “Through the looking glass.”

The mirror’s surface rippled, forming an elaborate map of the castle. Harry quickly located the Charms classroom as Arik kept lookout for nosy intruders.

“Found it,” Harry said triumphantly. “Reflection.”

The mirror returned to normal and Harry stuffed it back into his bag, waving Arik forward. Despite their later start, the duo were among the first students to reach the classroom. Zach was leaning against the wall by the door waiting for them. He had a copy of the mirror-map too, which was probably why he had arrived so quickly.

“Morning,” Harry said, stopping next to him. “How’re the Puffs?”

“They’re alright,” Zach said evenly. “Though I swear, every kid in my dorm looks similar to me.”

“How do you mean?” Arik asked.

“Well, there’s me, Finch-Fletchley, that di Angelo kid and Potter. We’ve all got the black hair and pale skin. We also all hate that Potter’s in Hufflepuff.”

Harry grimaced in sympathy. “I feel bad for you, mate. We might hate Potter, but at least we don’t have to room with him.”

“Oh, you guys don’t like him either? Thank Merlin, I thought I was the only one who wanted to strangle him.”

The trio turned in surprise to find a short, pale, dark haired boy next to them. Zach shook off his surprise first.

“Harry, Arik, this is Nico di Angelo. He’s one of my dormmates, as you know.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Nico said, dark eyes unreadable, offering his hand.

“Ditto,” Harry said, shaking the offered hand. “What’s your beef with Potter?”

Nico’s eyes narrowed. “It’s partially because of his familial ties and some family matters, but the other part is because he insulted a close friend of mine and tried to hex my sister while we were on the train. You?”

“Family problems,” Arik answered neutrally. He opened his mouth to say something else, but never got the chance. There was an increased swell in the volume around them and Professor Flictwick, the minute Charms teacher came around the corner, followed by the rest of the students, who all looked relieved at having found assistance to find the classroom. Flitwick ushered them into the classroom, encouraging them to sit wherever they wanted.

Unlike with the other houses, Slytherins and Hufflepuffs actually got on rather well, so while most of them still sat with their respective houses, intermingling was present amongst the students. Harry and Arik sat in the middle of the two houses with Zach. On Harry’s other side, Nico claimed his seat, and behind him was Theodore. On the opposite side of the room, Harold sat relatively alone, partially because he glared fiercely at anyone who gave so much as a second glance.

Flitwick went about taking roll, calling out names and receiving a word of confirmation in return. Once everyone was accounted for, Flitwick jumped straight into the lesson. He showed them several demonstrations of the Levitation Charm, making an ordinary brick zoom around the classroom. He then split the students up into pairs after going over the pronunciation and motions of the spell. Harry was paired up with a tall blond Hufflepuff boy named Jason.

Harry was fairly good with magic, having grown up with it, but had never formally had a wand to practice with before. He and Jason had a wonderful time attempting to make their feathers float. Jason seemed to have a particular affinity with Charms, making his feather shoot toward the ceiling on the fourth try. Harry’s joined it on his sixth try. The boys looked amusedly around at their classmates as they attempted the spell. The purebloods were mastering it faster than the others, a few feathers hanging in the air above them. Arik was coaching the red headed hufflepuff girl he had been paired with to better control her feather, his own tap dancing around his head. Nico and Hannah Abbott were racing their feathers around the room, laughing as Hannah’s feather cut off Nico’s, dancing around it midair, Nico’s lurching back to avoid being knocked out of the air. Theo was paired with Granger and looked ready to fall asleep or punch her. She was prattling on about how he pronounced the spell wrong, ignoring the fact that his feather was clearly floating three feet above his head.

Zach was paired up with Harold, and it was hard to tell who hated it more. Zach’s feather floated for only a few seconds before losing power, something Harold was mocking him for. Zach snapped something at him, and from the way his lips moved, Harry inferred it to be something along the lines of, “Well, you do it then”, since Harold raised his wand in reply and uttered the spell. He waved his wand triumphantly, expecting his feather to follow his wand’s movement.

Unfortunately for both Harold and Jason, Harold had accidentally levitated the brick Flitwick had been using to demonstrate. It rose from its place on Flitwick’s desk, then was hurled forward from the force of Harold’s actions. It raced toward Jason’s head, Harry trying to warn his partner away too late. The brick collided with Jason’s head, knocking him backward. Harry grabbed him before he could hit the floor, the brick tumbling loudly onto the desk besides him. Harold froze, Flitwick whipping around at the sound of the brick colliding with bone.Harry desperately tried to keep Jason upright, the boy having been knocked unconscious on impact.

“Goodness me!” Flitwick cried, making a beeline for the two boys. “Mr. Enigma, could you please help me  escort Mr. Grace to the Hospital Wing?”

“Sure,” Harry replied numbly, scooping up his bag. He picked up Jason’s too, along with the brick that had hit him. The rest of the class started after them, pale faced. Flitwick levitated Jason out of the classroom, Harry keeping a hurried pace behind them. He vaguely paid attention to the path they were taking as they went. When they reached the Infirmary doors, Harry held them open for Flitwick as he levitated Jason inside. The infirmary’s matron, a middle aged woman named Poppy Pomfrey, looked up at their arrival.

“Good heavens!” She exclaimed, bustling over to where Flitwick had laid Jason down on a hospital bed. “What happened to this unfortunate young man?”

“We were practicing Levitating Charms,” Harry answered swiftly. “Someone accidentally picked up the brick, and it hit him in the head.”

Madam Pomfrey tutted over Jason’s forehead, which had a nasty looking cut and was bleeding slightly.

“He’ll be alright,” Madam Pomfrey said decisively a few moments later. “He should be awake within an hour or two. If I’m sure he doesn’t need any extra medical attention, he should be free to go by lunchtime.”

“That’s good to hear,” Flitwick said. “Thank you for assisting me, Mr. Enigma,” he said to Harry. “Five points to Slytherin. Class ends in a few minutes, so you are free to get a headstart to your next class.”

“Yes, sir,” Harry said. He placed Jason’s bag next to his bed, then turned on his heel and exited the Hospital Wing. He ducked into an empty side hallway, pulling out his mirror-map and schedule, stuffing the brick into his bag. A quick once over had him heading off toward the Transfiguration classroom as the bell that signalled the end of class rung.

Harry stood slightly away from the Transfiguration classroom as the students poured out of it, glancing up as he heard Arik calling his name.

“Harry! What happened? Is Jason all right?” Arik came skidding to a halt beside him, panting and out of breath.

“Yeah, he’s okay. Harold hit him in the head with that brick Flitwick was using to demonstrate. Madam Pomfrey says he should be free to leave by lunch or so.”

Arik frowned. “Poor guy. We’ve not been a day and someone’s already been to the hospital wing, and of course it had to be at Potter’s hand.”

Harry nodded grimly as Professor McGonagall let in the few students who had already arrived. “I get what you mean. That Potter really is something.”

Arik raised an eyebrow at him. “And just what might he be?”

Harry ran a hand through his hair as he dropped into his seat. “The bane of all Riddles.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU. In this AU, Evelyn is Lily's twin sister. The Evans family are actually purebloods, but they have only produced squibs up until Lily and Evelyn. Evelyn was a Slytherin, and Lily ignored her sister's existence after she took Severus's side during the whole 'mudblood' incident, because Evelyn was the only one (at that time) who knew that they were pureblood. After graduating, Evelyn joined the Death Eaters and she and Tom (Voldemort) eventually fall in love and get married. Evelyn gives birth to Harrison Thomas Salazar Riddle on July 31st, the same day Lily gives birth to Harold James Potter. Unfortunately, Harold dies during childbirth. Lily and James don't know this, but Dumbledore, who is present, does know, and he switches Harold and Harrison (cause he's a bastard). Evelyn and Tom think that Harry is dead for about a month and are heartbroken, but eventually find out Dumbledore switched the children. Tom goes to retrieve Harry on Halloween, and injures but doesn't kill Lily and James (because Evelyn asked him to spare her sister if he could). Lily activates an emergency portkey which takes the Potters and Harry away from Godric's Hollow. Dumbledore places Harry with the Dursleys while Lily and James are recovering. Severus tells Tom where Harry is, and thus, we have reached the beginning of the story. Sidenote: Peter is still a spy in the Order and Sirius is not in Azkaban. 
> 
> P.S. - I changed Tom/Voldemort's age so that he's only five years older than Evelyn, Lily, James and the gang. Otherwise it would be weird and really, really gross.


End file.
